Letter-tie



(ModeL) J. N. PRICE. Latter Tie.

No. 241,064. Patented May 3 ,1881.

' N. PETERS, Phofomographsr, Wnhingian. D. C.

ATENT QFFIQE.

JAMES N. PRICE, OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS.

LETTERQTI'E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,064, dated May 3,1881.

Application filed March 3, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES N. PRICE, of Georgetown, in the county of Williamson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter Clasps or Ties; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in letter clasps or ties intended especially forholding packages of letters which are being transported in the mail, but which are also adapted for holding bills or papers of different kinds; and it consists in making the tie or clasp of wire, which is so bent as to catclraround the letters or papers, and which is provided with a suitable bend upon one of the ends for forming a catch, whereby the clasp or tie is closed upon the letters with sufficient force to hold them securely together and render the pack age comparatively fire-proof.

The object of my invention is to dispense with the trouble, time, and twine it usually takes to do up the packages of letters for the mail, and to enable the postmasters to secure the letters together in packages neatly, quickly, and easily.

Figures 1 and 5 are perspectives of my clasp or tie. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the clasp provided with a spring. of the clasp around a package of letters. Fig. 4 is a front view of the same.

My clasp is made from a single continuous piece of wire or sheet metal, A, which is bent into a suitable shape, and the two ends are then brazed, welded, or otherwise connected together. In one of the ends is made a bend, B, of any suitable length, so as to form the corners O, and the wire, which has been formed into a suitable shape, is then bent double or into a U shape, so as to bring the two ends together. Any suitable space will be left between the sides, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, after the central bend has been made, according to the size of the package which is to be placed inside of the clasp. If it is to be used upon small packages consisting of but from five to ten letters the sides will be brought closely to- Fig.3 is an end view gether; but where the clasp is to be used upon a thick package of letters the wire will be simply doubled and the sides curved as far apart as is necessary.

In order to fasten or unfasten the two ends of the clasp after it has been applied to a package of letters or papers, it is only necessary to manipulate the catch with the thumb and finger of either hand, 'so as to move the straight end outward over the top of the catch or the catch downward and backward under the straight end, according as to which one is nearest to the operator, whereby a simultaneous movement of both ends is produced. After the ends have been unfastened the elasticity of the wire causes them to spring slightly apart, so as to permit the instant removal of the letters.

Should it be desired to give the clasp considerable elasticity, so that it will readily adapt itself to packages of difl'erent thicknesses, the end may he turned inward, as shown at D, so as to form a spring that will allow the clasp to open or close, according to the thickness of the package that is placed in it. As the elasticity of the wire acts to close the clasp it holds the letters so tightly and closely together that in case of a fire the letters can only burn at the ends and the outer sides, leaving the inner ones almost uninjured.

Where twine is used to tie the packages together, as soon as the twine is burned the package springs open, and then all of the letters are consumed.

Heretofore packages of letters in the differentpost-offices have been done up with a twinestring but this method of making up packages of letters is troublesome, expensive, and requires considerable skill to do rapidly.

By the use of the clasp such as shown and described it is only necessary to place the letters without being tied together in any manner in between the sides of the clasp and then fasten 'the two ends together, when the package is ready to be placed in the mail-bag. As this manner of doing the letters up leaves the address upon the outer envelopes exposed to view wire is doubled and a V-shaped spring upon l being provided with the bend B and shoulders the lower wire; but these springs serve for the (J, for the purpose of catching over the other purpose ofboth forcing the clasp open and closend, and thus fastening the two ends together,

ing it, and take up considerable room, which substantially as shown and described. 15 5 would be a great objection in a mail-bag. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature Having thus described my invention, I in presence of two witnesses. la'n1 c J. N. PRICE.

As a new article of manufacture, a letter clasp or tie, A, made of wire, which is first bent Witnesses IO into a suitable shape, then doubled upon it- \VILL H. KERN,

self so as to form a U shape, one of the ends A. U. KISKADDEN. 

